No More a Victim of Injustice

My name is Resolute and I was once a victim of injustice!

I worked in an environment run by foreign investors for fifteen years and while I would readily admit that the revenue brought into the country significantly helped the local economy, I have also chosen to share about some adverse experiences.

Many of those people came to our shores less educated that we were, with little or no experience in the line of work. Recommended by a friend of a friend, they came for a piece of the pie and were appointed as our superiors. Like obedient servants, we were expected to shut up, stand at attention and teach them everything we know. We were not to question their authority and any defiance was dealt with harshly.

Regardless of how hard I worked, the countless hours I invested, the responsibilities I accepted, it was never enough to warrant a decent pay. I was treated as if money was a foreign commodity that I would not know how to use, therefore, I was always given barely enough for my basic needs. Any knowledge of me trying to develop personally or academically was taken as an act of rebellion.

I was discriminated against because of my gender, my ethnicity, my ambition and my expressiveness. I was left out from work-related social events, promoted several times without remuneration, superiors took credit for my contributions, others regularly arrived late for meetings that I called or would leave when it was time for me to speak, I was often given the “silent treatment”, I was treated rudely and disrespectfully, I was put down in front of others, I was given bigger workloads and shorter deadlines than others, attempts were often made to sabotage my reputation, I received little or no feedback about my performance and every attempt was made to frustrate me and to push me out.

I became a loner as I vowed in my heart not to allow my voice to be taken from me. I continued to express my opinion and to encourage fellow co-workers to maintain their identity and to stand up for what is right. However, the harmful effects of workplace bullying began to take a toll on my health and I began suffering from panic attacks, anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue and insomnia.

One day, someone threaten to kill me after being terminated for performance reasons. I later discovered that the person was influenced by some senior executives. Another attempt to aggravate me. The decision was cleared by the Managing Director and Company Lawyer, however, when my life was threatened, I was left in the cold. I was informed by the Company Lawyer that the company will not support me and that there will be consequence to what I have become embroiled in. That and many prior events propelled me to evaluate the situation and to stand up for myself and for others. I subsequently made the decision to leave that establishment. I refused to let my rights be trampled on and to be used as a bait. Today I educate people on the effects of workplace bullying, racism and injustice. A bully comes in all form and fashion and has no boundary. We should not allow our rights to be trampled upon! How many will stand with me? Let us start setting the parameter for people to follow.